Caitlin Started It All
by ShanaO
Summary: When Caitlin tells Jen a secret, it sets off a chain reaction with the gang trying to play it cool around Jude. Uncomfortable conversations are had, revealing things the friends really didn't want to know about each other. Needless to say, Caitlin started it all.


The Squeeze was Caitlin's haven.

As much as she hated to admit it in the beginning, it had become a source of comfort to her. It was the center of the group's hangout at the mall, and, whether Caitlin liked it or not, it made her a sure fixture in her friends' lives. Of course, most days she loved that about The Squeeze, but not today. Caitlin did not like The Squeeze today. She dreaded the big round fruit more than anything this morning, not because she hated it, but because she really didn't want to face the gang.  
As Caitlin watched Jen approach and wave with a grin, she could feel her face burn with embarassment. She'd been debating all morning whether to tell anyone about _that_. She'd had _this particular thing_ happen to her before, but never about anyone she knew. Never about one of her best friends. That's what made it so scary for her.

"Hey Caitlin," Jen smiled warmly and dug in her purse. "one lemonade." Caitlin nodded weakly, feeling her face flush and her mouth dry.  
"Of course, one lemonade."

"Are you okay?" Jen asked.

"Okay? what do you mean 'okay'? I'm fine," Caitlin knew she was acting suspicously, she couldn't help it, the words just wanted to gush out of her. She bit her tongue as she handed Jen her drink.

"Oookay," Jen held the lemonade and took a sip, the whole while watching Caitlin over the top of the cup. Caitlin avoided her stare.

"Oh, hey Wyatt!" Caitlin waved her arm frantically as Wyatt sat at a close table with his coffee in hand. He nodded at her with silent acknowledgement before taking a long gulp.

"Hey Caitlin, Jen. Man, am I tired," he said groggily. Wyatt clearly wasn't a morning person. Jen was still watching Caitlin, her busy-body senses tingling. Caitlin could feel her stare and tried even harder to bite her tongue. She was relieved when Nikki and Jonesy showed up.

"Hey Nikki," Jen greeted, dropping her suspicions for the moment and joining Nikki at the table in front of Caitlin's stand.

"Ugh, why does it have to be Monday?" Nikki groaned. She put her head down on the table.

"What wrong Nikki?" Jen asked.

"Nikki's just tired because she stayed up too late," Jonesy butt in with a smirk.  
"Why'd you stay up so late Nikki?" Caitlin asked curiously. "It wasn't cause of Jonesy was it?" she shot Jonesy a glare.

"No, I just watched a scary movie last night," Nikki replied almost quietly, ashamed that any movie would dare scare the crap out of her.

"She kept calling me last night." Jonesy chuckled. "I had to reassure her there were no aliens in her house."

"Was that why I kept hearing the phone ring? I was about ready to throw it against the wall," Jen yawned, as if thinking about the phone ringing reminded her of how tired she was.

"What movie?" Wyatt inquired, ready to join in the conversation. Nikki heaved exapperatedly.

"You know, that one about the colony," she said, rubbing her eyes, "the one with the aliens with the mouths...and that kid."

"Oh, I remember that one, _mostly_." Wyatt chuckled. "It was pretty scary, even I thought I saw aliens in the shadows of my room,"

"You guys are big babies," Jonesy piped in, "It wasn't that scary, and it's an _old_ movie."

"Hey, I had nightmares!" Wyatt cut in defensely.

"I had nightmares too, maybe when I was six." Jonesy grinned his Jonesy-est and stood up. "I gotta head to work,"  
"What are you doing now?" Caitlin asked him. Jen's attention turned back to her, and Caitlin prickled.

"As it just so happens, working in the food court." Jonsey puffed out his chest proudly.

"Where?" Nikki raised an eyebrow.

"Look at that, I gotta go!" Jonesy bolted immediately, avoiding any further questions. Everyone stared at each other and shrugged.  
"What was that about?" Jen wondered.

"Oh, he's just working at that taco stand," Wyatt clearified. Everyone exchanged looks.

_"Wonder Taco?" _Nikki couldn't hold back a toothy smile, "the one with that girl who spits in the tacos?"

"Julie?" supplied Wyatt, "Yeah."

"Hey guys, she's not that bad," defended Jen, who always felt it was her moral duty stick up for others, but in reality, everyone thought she was just a little too uptight.

"Well, I gotta head to work," Jen stood up and stretched, "if I'm late coach will throw me in the box," Wyatt also stood up.

"I gotta go too," he downed his coffee and tossed the empty cup in a nearby garbage.

"Kakhi Barn, get to watch the clones climb the ladders," Nikki chimed in last, lazily waving before heading in the opposite direction as Wyatt.

Now Caitlin was alone. She sighed in relief only to jolt upright when she saw Jude ride towards her on his skateboard.

"Hey," he said in normal Jude-fashion with his easy going smile. "am I late?"

Caitlin stiffened and managed an equally tense nod. "Yes," she replied meekly.

Jude watched her a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "I slept in," he explained.

"I guessed," Caitlin replied shortly, trying to hide a budding redness on her face.

"Dude, you okay?" he asked with Jude concern. Caitlin laughed nervously.

"I'm fine,"

And as suddenly as she had answered, Caitlin shut her haven off from the one person who had her embarassed and confused the most that morning. A stunned Jude stood there a moment before skating away, presumedly to the Stick-It. As she heard those wheels rolling, Caitlin slowly opened the lid to The Squeeze and sighed.

"Caitlin, what was that?"

The blonde jumped as Jen appeared from her hiding spot behind an out-of-the-way plant.

"What do you mean?" Caitlin's hands were sweaty. She really didn't know if she should spill her guts, especially to Jen. She knew how Jen felt about these things.

"Just now, with Jude," Jen motioned randomly to the now empty space.

"Oh that...I thought I had...a booger hanging from my nose!" Caitlin offered weakly. Jen folded her arms.  
"Jude wouldn't care about that, he doesn't even take showers half the time."  
"Don't you have to go to work? Won't coach put you in the penalty box?" Caitlin questioned in hopes of appealing to Jen's responsible work ethic.

"I don't start for another ten minutes today," answered the burnette cooly, "since there's more staff, I don't have to come in as early."

"Really? That's great!"

"Caaitlinnn," Jen growled expectedly. Caitlin fell silent before resigning to her fate.

"Fine, but you can't tell anyone!"

"What?" Jen's eyes widened in wonder. She loved secrets. Caitlin fiddled with her thumbs before beckoning Jen in The Squeeze. Jen climbed over the counter of the juicestand and her friend closed the lid. It was dark except for the small crack between the cover and counter of the fruit, where light peeked in and illuminated Caitlin's wide, green eyes. They looked terrified.

"I had a dream," Caitlin whispered in a heavy, scared breath.

"A dream?" Jen was confused for a second, but one look at Caitlin, and one thought of her awkward behavior this morning, and it clicked. Jen gasped.

"A dream about Jude?" she hissed in surprise.

"Yeeeesss," Caitlin whined lowly, "about Jude,"

"What kind of dream?"

Caitlin licked her lips. "A...bad dream," Jen had to stop herself from standing up then and there, lest she hit her head.

"A..._bad, _bad dream?" she asked almost hysterically.

"Jen, you can't tell anyone! Especially Jude!" Caitlin's eyes were pleading. "Please Jen,"

"What does it mean?" Jen watched Caitlin. "Don't tell me you _like Jude._" Her friend blushed.

"I don't know, I've never had a dream about one of the guys before," Caitlin said this in bewilderment, "I really don't know how to act anymore! It was hard enough earlier, I really don't want to face him again! I don't wanna face any of them." Caitlin took a huge breath, "I'm scared I'll say something!"

"Well, we have to figure this out! What happened?" Jen situated herself to get more comfortable. Caitlin took another long breath and was about to answer, when there was a knock above them.

"Hello, can I get some service?"

Caitlin opened the lid and put on her lemon hat. Jen tried to hop over the counter as inconspicuously as she could, the whole while smiling as Caitlin's customer watched her. Caitlin beamed at the customer when she finally left.

"What can I get you?"

AN: Been watching 6teen and I love Caitlin and Jude. They would make a cute couple. I haven't finished the show, but I couldn't resist. It's pretty late right now and my brain hurts. If you see any mistakes in sentence fluency or ANYTHING, please let me know. Reviews are welcomed. I live off them.


End file.
